Is Gus A Good Boyfriend In ‘Love’?

Congrats to season 2 of Love, officially the new show about nothing. Season 1 of the Netflix original comedy found Mickey (Gillian Jacobs) and Gus (Paul Rust) figuring out, and more importantly, addressing their feelings for each other. Season 2 picks up right where we left off, in the gas station where Gus is picking up snacks and Mickey is opening her heart to him. And then they’re together! They start to spend entire days together, realize they aren’t sleeping with other people, and have just sort of landed themselves in a relationship, even when it wasn’t exactly their intention or expectation.

The majority of the new season is spent telling the story of what it’s like to be in a relationship with someone. And that’s it, really. It’s not until the last quarter of the 12-episode season where a real conflict arises. It’s not that the show isn’t entertaining, because it is; but with so much drama-free time, it does give one the chance to really analyze these characters and their actions. So, in true Carrie Bradshaw style, I couldn’t help but wonder: Is Gus a good boyfriend?

He most certainly thinks he is. The on-set tutor is first to pat himself on the back for gestures that aren’t as fully romantic as he believes them to be. As Mickey continues to take care of herself, attending A.A. and S.L.A.A. meetings, Gus asks her questions and remains genuinely interested in her life. But it’s not until episode 12, “Back In Town” that he casually mentions it to her that he’s attended some Al-Anon meetings, and while she reacts generously, you can tell he’s feeling like a real hero for the move. Same thing in episode 10, “Liberty Down,” when he surprised Mickey with a paid plane ticket to come visit him while he was feeling all lonely working in Atlanta. Sure, it seems like a wonderful gesture. But it comes packed with the expectation that she will drop everything in her life to come keep him company for a couple days — a move he is all too familiar with making. Which brings us to maybe the most mind-boggling action from Gus.

After explaining an article he read to a famous director, Gus is asked to come aboard a project, which, let’s remember, is a humongous deal for someone to jump from on-set tutor to potential writer/contributor of a film. Instead of lacing up his sneakers and walking to New York with excitement, he instead asks if he can Skype in from LA because he wants to be with his girlfriend. My dude! What are you thinking? Have a damn discussion with Mickey first. If the relationship was in a sturdy space, you’d have her support and could work together on a plan to see each other. Mickey says it best when she tells him, “No. You don’t get points for something you decided was a sacrifice in your head that I never would’ve asked you to do.” To live in your own world and get caught up in your thoughts, well, it starts to send intense, suffocating messages to your partner.

It should be noted that Mickey is not the cause of this behavior, either. Can she be tricky at times? Of course, most women can be. But this is how Gus acts with many of the women he encounters. In episode 2, “Friends Night Out,” his group of bros mixes with some ladies at a bar and he pays infinitely more attention to his phone than a friendly gal. In fact, he totally blows her off. Heidi (Briga Heelan) the crazy actress is back in episode 3, “While You Were Sleeping,” but Gus is so clearly unable to read her. Even when she is spelling out her feelings to his face! Both of these women have overreactions to his cluelessness, but their messages don’t seem to register with him whatsoever.

Gus is scared of Mickey, and scared of her getting sick of him and/or leaving. And so, so many of us have been there before, that we can recognize the cringe-worthy earnestness Rust opts for in this character. He so badly doesn’t want to screw up with Mickey that he can’t be truly honest with her. In episode 9, “Housesitting,” he has a hard time blaming her for the fact that the dogs made a mess in the house, worried that his true reaction (probably yelling and expletives) will cause her to pack her bags (which she does after they eventually fight about feminism and cigarettes).

Telling her dad in episode 8, “Marty Dobbs,” about Mickey being sober, was Gus desperately trying to bond and make a good impression on her dad, but Mickey may have picked up on something more. As she tells her pal Syd (Kerri Kenney), she gets the impression that Gus considers her his “fixer-upper” and that “he was getting off on” watching her be damaged. Sure! You know when you find a pimple on the face of someone you have a crush on? It makes them seem normal and less scary and actually human. It’s comforting when you can put that person into perspective, and realize they are just that: a person. To Gus, Mickey’s addictions are the pimple he clings to and uses to believe that just maybe she is in his league after all.

So is he a good boyfriend? Sigh. Sure. We’ve all certainly had worse men in our lives than this guy. The intentions are mostly right. He cares, and we can chalk up many of his actions to just being head over heels for Mickey. Plus, we’ll give him points when he mostly comes around by episode 12, admitting to her, “I am very codependent and it’s scary for me to look at my own shit, so I focus on yours because it’s easier and that’s super unfair to you and I’m sorry.” It takes a true man to recognize and share his feelings, no matter how awkward that action may be.

But guy, you have got to remain levelheaded or this will get away from you. Gus was perhaps at his most fun in episode 4, “Shrooms,” when he was able to chill out and dance and be open and honest with his gal pal and friends. But things like sitting in your car outside Mickey’s S.L.A.A. meeting? She appreciates the support, and it’s nice that you used the time to call your mom, for sure. But go buy yourself a book or something with that time! You don’t have to put your life on hold for someone else, which this guy should’ve learned repeatedly over the course of season 2. Go learn a fun fact you can bring to the relationship. And no, YouTube videos do not count here, sadly.

And for the love of God, learn who Justin Bobby is.

Where to watch Love